Page 60 of The Time of My Afterlife

‘Really?’

‘Yes, Clark. When I told Rodney I couldn’t marry him, he told me once that he would one day meet me again in Pixie Cove.’ She dissolves into floods of tears. Florence rushes to her other side, and together we comfort her.

‘I should have known that’s where he would be.’ After her tears have abated she sniffs. ‘Waiting for me in Pixie Cove.’

‘I drove there yesterday.’

She looks at me. ‘Did you speak to him?’

‘I did.’

‘Please don’t tell me he’s happily married?’

‘It didn’t look like it,’ I say, recalling Mr Beaver’s hands. He wasn’t wearing a wedding ring, and I didn’t see any photos of a much-loved wife.

Pearl fishes a tissue from her cardigan sleeve. ‘Well, that’s something.’

‘Did you know Mr Beaver, as he was called then, taught both Florence and me maths when we were at school?’

Pearl glances at me and then at Florence, who nods. ‘He was the worst teacher ever, Pearl.’

‘I knew he wanted to be a maths teacher one day. Why was he so bad? He had a fantastic brain. He even made me interested in numbers.’

Florence and I exchange a worried glance.

‘He came across as a little… cross,’ I say, trying to be diplomatic.

‘He was a nightmare,’ says Florence, not following my lead. ‘He shouted at everyone and terrorised the school. Always full of anger.’

Pearl is shaking her head. ‘That doesn’t sound like the Rodney I fell in love with.’

Florence and I return to the sofa.

‘Where does he live?’ Pearl asks.

‘In a cottage on the clifftop road. It’s painted duck-egg blue.’

She sighs. ‘That used to be his favourite colour.’

‘I know his address. You could write to him.’

Something flickers across her face. ‘I’m not sure I want that, Clark.’

‘What do you mean?’ exclaims Florence. ‘You must get in contact with him. You and he are like two lost souls who need to be reunited.’

To our dismay, Pearl shakes her head. ‘I don’t want to meet Rodney again if he’s angry.’

‘What?’ Florence and I say in unison.

‘I’m sorry, both of you,’ she says, touching one of her silvery curls. ‘That’s not the Rodney I fell in love with.’

My heart sinks. Reuniting Pearl and Mr Beaver now feels impossible.

As we step outside, Florence gestures towards her house. ‘Can we go back to my house?’ I nod, and we walk back in silence.

Her shoulders are hitched up to her ears, and her face looks strained. Seeing her troubled makes my heart ache.

When we enter, she goes to sit on the sofa. I decide to be brave and sit next to her. ‘Are you okay?’ I ask, softly.